This week I have learned:
- a series of events happening in quick succession can often become a pattern in our minds, even when they are merely a random coincidence. The Availability Heuristic can then amplify that pattern-creation. It’s a phenomenon called Apophenia, and it’s something that I have studied at length in the work for Random. I still fall for it, though. It’s been one of those weeks.
- Who knew that the Mercator projection could have a direct impact on my day-to-day work? More on this in the coming weeks.
- The idiosyncrasies of building security where pass access to specific doors means you can go through one, but not another, even though they open out into exactly the same greater space. It’s kind of Chesterton’s Fence, but where the actual fences (walls) have already been removed, but no one has gotten around to updating the technology.
- I am now in a position to build back ends as well as front ends as I start exploring Claude Code, Firebase, GitHub, and Railway. There’s a bit of me wondering whether coding will ultimately go the way of car maintenance. At this point, you need to know quite a bit to keep them going, but soon the bonnets will reveal nothing but a spout for windscreen water, and drivers can spend their time just focused on getting to where they need to go (with increasing levels of automation). Actual coding becomes a weekend pursuit for some, and a high-end artisanal service for a few high-performance scenarios.
- You, of course, have to be properly accredited to perform an MOT…
The week in media:
Listened
Another WB-40 Album Club this week, and an album that I would never have chose for myself from System of a Down – Mezmerize. Fascinating, potty, funny, political. Not sure I’d listen to it again, but I’m glad that I’ve heard it.
I also got a new bunch of vinyl for the first time in ages – highlight of which is the most recent Little Simz album.
And a few more episodes of the podcast One Song. The one that covers Chaka Khan’s I’m Every Woman is incredible.
Watched
Another episode of The Night Manager. Not as good as series one, but still compelling.
Read
Still chugging through Reach.
The week ahead
I’ve managed to get my hands on five copies of the Beastie Boys’ 1990s magazine Grand Royal. That’s this week’s leisure time.
The week in photos
mmitII 